Basketball backboard set

ABSTRACT

A basketball backboard set including a backboard for carrying a basketball hoop extending outwardly from a ball receiving surface of the backboard, the hoop being adapted for receiving basketballs therethrough, and universal pivotally adjustable mounting arms for mounting the backboard to any desired surface such as a slanted roof, a vertical wall or a vertical standard by using the same mounting brackets. The mounting arms are secured to the back surface of the backboard so as to be universally pivoted so that the arms will adjust to a multitude of mounting situations to conform to the degree of slope of the particular roof to which the backboard set is mounted as well as being adaptable for mounting on a vertical wall of a building or a vertical standard without the need of extra brackets.

Unite States Patent 3,437,296 4/l969 Hinz ABSTRACT: A basketballbackboard set including a backboard for carrying a basketball hoopextending outwardly from a ball receiving surface of the backboard, thehoop being adapted for receiving basketballs therethrough, and universalpivotally adjustable mounting arms for mounting the backboard to anydesired surface such as a slanted roof, a vertical wall or a verticalstandard by using the same mounting brackets. The mounting arms aresecured to the back surface of the backboard so as to be universallypivoted so that the arms will adjust to a multitude of mountingsituations to conform to the degree of slope of the particular roof towhich the backboard set is mounted as well as being adaptable formounting on a vertical wall of a building or a vertical standard withoutthe need of extra brackets.

BASKETBALL BACKBOARD SET This invention relates generally to basketballbackboard sets and more particularly to a new and improved arrangementof mounting arms for mounting basketball backboard sets to surfaces ofdifferent configurations.

Basketball backboard sets are commonly mounted upon garage roofs, sidesof buildings or vertical support standards at the desired height toenable the user thereof to shoot baskets at a basketball hoop fastenedbackboard and extending from a backboard of the basketball backboardset. The problems encountered in mounting basketball backboard sets tosurfaces of different configuration, i.e. slanted roofs or varyingslopes or vertical sidewalls of buildings, are due to the construction,limited arrangements and positions which the prior mounting bracketscould assume relative to the backboards involved. Thus, prior basketballbackboard sets require a plurality of different kinds of mountingbrackets for mounting the basketball backboard sets to differentsurfaces of different configurations and either a large selection ofmounting brackets must be provided by the seller of such basketballbackboard sets or the purchaser must have a mounting bracket arrangementcustom made for his particular use.

According y, n object of this invention is to provide a basketballbackboard set with a single set of mounting brackets which are soconstructed, positioned, arranged, and adjustable that tl y can be usedtogetl er m differentpositions and arrangements securely and easily tomount a backboard to vertical walls, vertical posts and slanting roofsof various configurations and sizes.

Briefly, the basketball backboard set of this invention mostadvantageously includes vertically spaced-apart mounting arms extendingfrom the rear surface of the backboard and pivotally secured at theirinner ends thereof by universal type swivel joints to allow the arms tobe adjusted to a multitude of mounting situations. Preferably each ofthe mounting arms comprises an elongated tulular member,

circular in cross section, and having a bend intermediate the endsthereof, the distance between the bend and the arm end connected to thebackboard preferably being much less than the distance from the bend tothe initially free outer end thereof. The outer end of each of themounting arms most advantageously may be provided with an anchoringmember pivotally secured thereto and having one or more aperturestherein for receiving fasteners such as screws for securing thebasketball backboard set to roofs and/ or sides of buildings. Also, theportions of each mounting arm extending from the bend to the free endthereof is preferably provided with apertures to provide for a selectionof anchoring positions. The configuration of the mounting arms and thepivotal anchoring and mounting means at the opposite ends thereof enablethe mounting arms to be positioned horizontally in verticallyspaced-apart relation to enable the intermediate portions of the arms tobe anchored to a vertical wall surface or to a vertical standard such asa pole. In the latter case, a pair of apertures formed in each mountingarms are positioned to receive U-shaped clamps or the like which extendbehind the vertical pole andproject through selected ones of themounting arm apertures and are drawn lightly about the pole by suitablenuts threaded over the ends of the clamps.

The universally pivoted mounted arms are secured to the rear surface ofthe backboard at points sufficiently spaced apart to provide thenecessary rigidity to prevent the backboard from shifting or moving fromits secured position as a result of the impact imposed on the backboardwhen a basketball strikes the backboard. Although any number of mountingarms may be used in accordance with the broad aspect of this invention,there is preferably provided four such mounting arms universally pivotedto the backboard at points which may define the four corners of arectangle. Thus there will be provided upper and lower pairs of mountingarms securable to a vertical mounting surface spaced a sufficientdistance from the rear surface of the backboard thttt the backboard willbe spaced substantially from the vertical mounting surface to provideadequate running room under the backboard. When each of the upper andlower pairs of mounting arms are each moved to positions where theyextend generally horizontally in nestled relation, the basketballbackboard set can be mounted to a vertical walls surface or to avertical pole as described above. When mounting the basketball backboardset to a sloping roof, the upper pair of mot nting arms are pivotallypositionable so that anchoring members located at the outer ends thereofcan be anchored to the roof surface or the intermediate portions of themounting arms can be anchored to the roof surface. The lower pair ofmounting arms are pivotally positionable so that the anchoring membersat the outer end thereof can either be fastened to the vertical sidingof the building just below the roof edge or overhang thereof or theintermediate portions of the lower pair of mounting arms can be securedto the roof surface while the upper pair of mounting arms have theanchoring members connected to their outer ends secured to the roofsurface.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of this inventionwill be more fully realized and understood from the following detaileddescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein like reference numerals throughout the various views of thedrawings are intended to designate similar elements or components.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the from playing surface andbasketball hoop of a basketball backboard set provided with the mountingarms (not shown) according to this invention FIG. 2 is a sideelevational view of the basketball backboard set of FIG. 1 with themounting arms thereof arranged and positioned to be mounted to the roofand siding of a building;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing an exemplaryswivel anchor providing universal pivotal connection between the innerend of each mounting arm and the backboard of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the basketball backboard set ofFIG. 1 with all the mountings arms thereof arranged and positioned to bemounted to the roof of a building;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the basketball backboard set ofFIG. 1 with another arrangement of the mountings arms thereof where allthe arms are mounted to the roof of a builds;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the basketball backboard set ofFIG. 1 with the mounting arms thereof arranged and positioned extendingtoward one another in parallel vertical spaced apart pairs and mountedto the siding of a building; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective rear view showing the basketball backboard setof FIG. 1 with the mounting anns thereof arranged as in FIG. 6 butmounted to a vertical standard.

Referring now to the drawings, there is seen a basketball backboard set10 in accordance with this invention. A backboard 12 is provided forcarrying a basketball hoop l4 and attached net 15 a distance spaced fromthe backboard 12 determined by an outwardly extending support 16 whichis fastened to the backboard 12 by means of a plurality of bolts orrivets 17. The support 16 preferably includes support braces 18 securedto the support 16 and extend outwardly therefrom to engage and supportthe periphery of the basketball hoop 14.

In accordance the preferred form of this invention, two verticallyspaced pairs of mounting arms 20-22 and 24-26 are universally pivotallyfastened at their inner ends to the rear surface of the backboard 12 byuniversal pivot swivel anchors 28. Each illustrated swivel anchor 28includes a channel member 280 pivotally secured to the backboard formovement about an axis 32 perpendicular to the backboard by a singlepivot bolt 30 (FIG. 3) passing through one of four holes 35 in thebackboard located at the corner of a horizontally elongated rectangle.The axis 32 passes through the center of bolt 30 which is shownextending through the ccn ter aperture of u plurality of spliced upul'taligned itpct'lttrcs 31 in the web of the channel member 280, therepreferably being three such apertures 31. the outer t wo apertures beingused to receive fasteners so that similar channel memher 2811 may beused on the outer ends of the mounting arms in the manner to bedescribed. A nut 33 threadedly engages the bolt 30 to fasten the swivelanchor to the backboard I2. Each swivel anchor includes a transverseremovable pivot pin or bolt means 28b extending between the flanges ofthe channel member 28a and passing through an opening at the end of thea esm u n auttnrrsvideptsqta tam ment of the mounting arm about an axisat right angles to the axis 32 and parallel to the rear surface of t hebackboard 12. The outer ends of each of some of the mounting arms like24 and 26 in FIG. 2, are selectively provided with fastening means,preferably which are identical to the aforesaid channel members 28a ofthe universal swivel anchors 28, so the channel members form removableanchors and pivot support where the fastening means can pivot relatingto the associated mounting arm about an axis transverse to the length ofthe arm, thereby enabling the fastening means to be secured to mountingsurfaces of different inclination for each given orientation of the moun ting arm.

Each of the mounting arms 20, 22, 24 and 26 is provided with means forsecuring the same directly to a mounting surface at any one or more of anumber of points therealong. These means preferably are apertures 36(FIG. 7) longitudinally spaced along and passing through the mountingarms to receive fasteners such as nails or screws.

In hep ef tf m .Qf th s n iqnthssmcunt asarm 20, 22, 24 and 26 areidentical in configprgtion z 1rtd each preferably is provided with abend 20a, 22a, 24a, or 26a intermediate the ends of the mounting arms,the distance between the bend and the end connected to the backboardpreferably being much less than the distance from the bend to the outerend of the mounting arm. In the embodimentdisclosed herein, the mountingarms 20, 22, 24 and 26 are formed of elongated tubular members, circularin cross section. Where the bends referred to are right-angle bends,when the pairs 20-22 and 24-26 of universally pivoted mounting arms aremoved to a position extending toward one another the outer portions ofthe arms between the bends and the outer ends thereof are parallel toand spaced from the rear surface of the backboard a distance determinedby the distance between the bends and the inner ends thereof connectedto the backboard as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

The unique and novel aspects of this invention enable the basketballbackboard set to be mounted to surfaces of a multitude of differentconfigurations without the need of extra mounting components. Forexample, FIG. 2 illustrates one mounting situation to which thebasketball backboard set 10 is readily adaptable. Here the upper pair ofmounting arms and 22, with the fastening means 280 removed therefrom,are pivoted into an angled upwardly position in conformity with theslope of a roof 40 with at least a portion of the mounting arms 20 and22 engaged with and directly fastened to the surface of the roof 40 bymeans of a plurality of fasteners 42 such as nails, screws or bolts. Thelower mounting arms 24 and 26 then are pivoted so as to extendtransversely rearwardly of the backboard 12 so that the web of thechannel member 280 forming the outer end fastening means engages thesiding 44 beneath the roof edge or overhang of the building to which thebasketball backboard set is connected. A pair of nails or screws orbolts passing through the outer apertures 31-31 in the web of thechannel member 28a are used to anchor the outer end of the mounting arms24 and 26 to the siding 44.

FIG. 4 illustrates yet another mounting situation to which thebasketball backboard set 10 is readily adaptable. Here the lower pair ofmounting arms 24 and 26, with their fastening means 28a removed, arepivoted to an angular upwardly inclining position in conformity with theslope of a roof 46 with the mounting arms 24 and 26 being securedthereto by fasteners 42 passing through selected ones of the apertures36. The upper mounting arms 20 and 22 are there pivoted to a downwardlyangled position with the fastening means 280 pivotally secured to theouter ends of the mounting arms, the fastening means 284 being alsosecured to the roof 46 by nails or screws through the outer aperture 31thereof.

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another mounting arrangement iv which thebasketball backboard set 10 is readily adaptable again without the needof extra brackets or mounting hardware. Here the lower pair of mountingarms 24 and 26 are rotated with their short lengths extending upwardlyand the longer portions of the mounting arms are pivoted to an angledupwardly position in conformity with the slope of a roof 48 and fastenedthereto by the fasteners 42 and the upper mounting arms 21 and 22 arepivoted to a downwardly angled position with the fastening means 28asecured to the surface of a roof 48 by suitable fasteners such as nails,screws or bolts passing through the outer apertures 31.

FIG. 6 illustrates yet another mounting situation to which thebasketball backboard set 10 is readily adapted, and which, heretofore,basketball backboard sets of the prior art generally provide inadequatemounting means. In this arrangement, the upper mounting arms 20 and 22with their fastening means 28a removed, are pivoted to a positionextending toward one another in parallel nestled relation and themounting arms are fastened to the siding 50 of a building by suitablenails, screws or bolts as desired. Similarly the lower mounting arms 24and 26 are pivoted to a position extending toward one another inparallel nestled relation and also fastened to the siding 50 thusproviding mounting for the backboard set 10 spaced outwardly of thesiding 50.

With the mounting arms 20, 22, 24 and 26 arranged substantially in thesame manner as shown in FIG. 6 the mounting arms provide means formounting the basketball backboard set to vertical standard 52, as seenin FIG. 7. In this arrangement clamp fasteners 54 are positioned aboutthe standard 52 and extend through certain ones of the apertures 36 andreceive suitable nuts at the ends of the clamp fasteners 54 thusmounting the basketball backboard set. Here again it will be noted thatthe basketball backboard set 10 is mounted from the vertical standard 52in a similar fashion to that shown in the arrangement of FIG. 6.Therefore, basketball backboard sets provided with universally pivotedmounting arms in accordance with this invention will be adaptable tomounting on a multitude of different surface configuration, and in allcases support the backboard outwardly of the surface or surfaces towhich it is mounted to provide adequate running room underneath thebasketball hoop.

Accordingly, variations and modifications of this invention may beeflected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novelconcepts set forth herein.

Iclaim:

l. A basketball backboard set, comprising: a backboard for carrying abasketball hoop extending outwardly of a ball engaging surface at thefront side of a backboard; at least two vertically spaced mounting armsat the rear surface of said backboard; anchoring means secured to saidmounting arms and the rear surface of said backboard for universallypivotally supporting said mounting arms upon said backboard for rotationabout at least a first horizontal axis generally parallel to the planeof the backboard and a second axis transverse to the plane of thebackboard wherein said mounting arms are adjustable to different angularpositions in planes including a vertical plane transverse to thebackboard where they can extend along roofs of different angles orhorizontally to be secured at the end thereof to a vertical supportsurface, and in planes where they can be brought into positionsextending at an angle to the vertical and in a plane generally parallelto the backboard where they can be secured to a vertical standard or avertical support surface; and each of said mounting arms including meansfor selectively fastening said mounting arms to a mounting surface atany one of a number of different points therealong.

2. The basketball backboard set of claim I wherein each of said mountingarms is secured to said anchoring means at the inner end thereof.

3. A basketball backboard set according to claim 1 wherein said mountingarms in one of their positions are in a plane parallel to said backboardwhere they extend generally horizontally in substantial parallel-spacedrelation to the backboard.

4. The basketball backboard set according to claim 1 wherein there areincluded two pairs of vertically spaced-apart mounting arms definingupper and lower mounting arm pairs, the inner ends of the mounting armsof each pair being secured to universal pivot-forming anchoring meanshorizontally spaced apart on said backboard.

5. The basketball backboard set according to claim 1 wherein there areincluded two pairs of vertically spaced-apart mounting arms definingupper and lower mounting arm pairs, the inner ends of the mounting armsof each pair being secured to universal pivot-forming anchoring meanspositioned on the rear surface of the backboard and at the comersdefining a rectangle.

6. The basketball backboard set according to claim 5 wherein the upperpair of mounting arms are pivotable toward one another to be positionedin juxtaposed parallel relation, and the lower pair of mounting arms arepivotable toward one another to be positioned in juxtaposed parallelrelation so that the upper and lower pairs of mounting arms can befastened to vertical support means.

7. The basketball backboard set according to claim 6 wherein saidfastening means includes apertures for receiving clamp fasteners, saidmounting arms being positionable adjacent a vertical standard with saidapertures positioned to securely receive said clamp fasteners and fastenthe basketball backboard set to said vertical standard.

8. The basketball backboard set according to claim 1 wherein themounting arms are universally pivotally mounted at their inner ends, theupper of said vertically spaced mounting arms is pivotable to adownwardly inclining position to be directed toward a roof surface towhich the basketball backboard set is to be mounted and there isprovided at the outer end of said upper mounting arm fastening meanspivotable about a horizontal axis so it can be angled in conformity withthe slope of the roof for fastening thereto, and the lower of saidvertically spaced mounting arms are pivotable to an upwardly incliningposition conforming substantially to the angle of the slope of the roofwith at least a portion of the lower mounting arm to extend along theroof for fastening thereto.

9. The basketball backboard set according to claim 1 wherein themounting arms are universally pivotally mounted at their inner ends, theupper of said vertically spaced mounting arms is pivotable to anupwardly inclining position conforming substantially to the angle of theslope of a roof to which the basketball backboard set is to be mountedwith at least a portion of the upper mounting arms to extend along theroof for fastening thereto, and the lower of said vertically spacedmounting arms is pivotable to a position extending transversely to thebackboard and there is provided at the outer end of said lower mountingarm fastening means engageable with a vertical wall below the portion ofthe roof to which the basketball backboard set is to be mounted.

10. The basketball backboard set according to claim 1 wherein each ofsaid mounting arms is substantially identical in configuration.

11. The basketball backboard set according to claim 1 wherein each ofsaid mounting arms is fonned of an elongated member having a bendtherein, the distance between the bend and the end universally pivotallyfastened to the back surface of the backboard being less than thedistance between the bend and the outer end of said mounting arms.

1. A basketball backboard set, comprising: a backboard for carrying abasketball hoop extending outwardly of a ball engaging surface at thefront side of a backboard; at least two vertically spaced mounting armsat the rear surface of said backboard; anchoring means secured to saidmounting arms and the rear surface of said backboard for universallypivotally supporting said mounting arms upon said backboard for rotationabout at least a first horizontal axis generally parallel to the planeof the backboard and a second axis transverse to the plane of thebackboard wherein said mounting arms are adjustable to different angularpositions in planes including a vertical plane transverse to thebackboard where they can extend along roofs of different angles orhorizontally to be secured at the end thereof to a vertical supportsurface, and in planes where they can be brought into positionsextending at an angle to the vertical and in a plane generally parallelto the backboard where they can be secured to a vertical standard or avertical support surface; and each of said mounting arms including meansfor selectively fastening said mounting arms to a mounting surface atany one of a number of different points therealong.
 2. The basketballbackboard set of claim 1 wherein each of said mounting arms is securedto said anchoring means at the inner end thereof.
 3. A basketballbackboard set according to claim 1 wherein said mounting arms in one oftheir positions are in a plane parallel to said backboard where theyextend generally horizontally in substantial parallel-spaced relation tothe backboard.
 4. The basketball backboard set according to claim 1wherein there are included two pairs of vertically spaced-apart mountingarms defining upper and lower mounting arm pairs, the inner ends of themounting arms of each pair being secured to universal pivot-forminganchoring means horizontally spaced apart on said backboard.
 5. Thebasketball backboard set according to claim 1 wherein there are includedtwo pairs of vertically spaced-apart mounting arms defining upper andlower mounting arm pairs, the inner ends of the mounting arms of eachpair being secured to universal pivot-forming anchoring means positionedon the rear surface of the backboard and at the corners defining arectangle.
 6. The basketball backboard set according to claim 5 whereinthe upper pair of mounting arms are pivotable toward one another to bepositioned in juxtaposed parallel relation, and the lower pair ofmounting arms are pivotable toward one another to be positioned injuxtaposed parallel relation so that the upper and lower pairs ofmounting arms can be fastened to vertical support means.
 7. Thebasketball backboard set according to claim 6 wherein said fasteningmeans includes apertures for receiving clamp fasteners, said mountingarms being positionable adjacent a vertical standard with said aperturespositioned to securely receive said clamp fasteners and fasten thebasketball backboard set to said vertical standard.
 8. The basketballbackboard set according to claim 1 wherein the mounting arms areuniversalLy pivotally mounted at their inner ends, the upper of saidvertically spaced mounting arms is pivotable to a downwardly incliningposition to be directed toward a roof surface to which the basketballbackboard set is to be mounted and there is provided at the outer end ofsaid upper mounting arm fastening means pivotable about a horizontalaxis so it can be angled in conformity with the slope of the roof forfastening thereto, and the lower of said vertically spaced mounting armsare pivotable to an upwardly inclining position conforming substantiallyto the angle of the slope of the roof with at least a portion of thelower mounting arm to extend along the roof for fastening thereto. 9.The basketball backboard set according to claim 1 wherein the mountingarms are universally pivotally mounted at their inner ends, the upper ofsaid vertically spaced mounting arms is pivotable to an upwardlyinclining position conforming substantially to the angle of the slope ofa roof to which the basketball backboard set is to be mounted with atleast a portion of the upper mounting arms to extend along the roof forfastening thereto, and the lower of said vertically spaced mounting armsis pivotable to a position extending transversely to the backboard andthere is provided at the outer end of said lower mounting arm fasteningmeans engageable with a vertical wall below the portion of the roof towhich the basketball backboard set is to be mounted.
 10. The basketballbackboard set according to claim 1 wherein each of said mounting arms issubstantially identical in configuration.
 11. The basketball backboardset according to claim 1 wherein each of said mounting arms is formed ofan elongated member having a bend therein, the distance between the bendand the end universally pivotally fastened to the back surface of thebackboard being less than the distance between the bend and the outerend of said mounting arms.